Although qualified, Doornbos is currently concentrating on a full-time motorsport career. After a season in the Scholarship Class of the British Formula Three Championship, in which he won a race twice, he switched to the German Championship for 2002, making the first connection with former
F1 driver Piercarlo Ghinzani's team.
With three podium finishes in his first ‘real’ F3 season, Doornbos showed that experience in karting was not
always necessary and, courtesy of his enormous will power, he was able to fight with 'star' names like eventual champion Gary Paffett and Toyota F1 tester Ryan Briscoe.
Like the Australian, Doornbos now finds himself living in the Italian resort of Viareggio, which came highly recommended to him by team boss Ghinzani, with whom he has built up a great rapport. There he follows a balanced training programme devised by doctor Ricardo Ceccarelli, who founded the famous Institute of Formula Medicine. Like Briscoe, the current F3 Euroseries leader, and several F3000 drivers - such as 2003 champion-elect Bjorn Wirdheim - also living in the area, he has the same daily routine of fitness, diet and mental preparation. Ceccarelli is linked to the Toyota F1 team, and works in a scientific manner to optimise the physical condition of his drivers. A talented individual, he also offers his drivers language courses to broaden their ability to communicate with their engineers and the media.
At last year's Marlboro Masters, Doornbos qualified an unexpected sixth for the main race, only to be eliminated on the warm-up lap when fellow Dutchman Stefan de Groot assaulted his car.
This year, carrying the colours of the event sponsor, Doornbos wants to show the world what he is capable of. But it will be his deeds rather than his tongue that is left to do the talking.
